Stainless Fuel Tank Straps

[nichzimmerman]

I'm considering using stainless steel shipping strap material for my fuel tank straps. McMaster carries a 302 stainless material that is 0.75"x0.025" as specified. Based on it's estimated breaking strength, it looks to have the properties that you see around the web for 302 stainless.

It would be less work than cutting out my own straps and wouldn't require painting. Lastly, it would save weight to use 0.75" wide material (as specified by Bob) than the 1" material most use. The only drawback I see is that most rubber chaffing material is designed for 1" wide straps, so I could cut out my own rubber strips and attach with double sided tape.

Incidentally, I asked Bob and he didn't have any problems with it, but i wanted to throw it out to you guys to point out what I'm missing.

Nic
#1217

[BTAZ]

For chafing material on my LSA, I put cork on the strap and then slid a piece of heat shrink over it and shrank it. It seems to have worked out well and should easily adjust to your strap width.

[marcusofcotton]

I'm using three-quarter inch wide galvanized steel straps. Fears I have with stainless steel would be work hardening at the bend possibly cracking and what to use for riveting it. Stainless steel will eat up aluminum rivets over time.

Very true issue about the chafing material being hard to find for three quarter inch. I really like the idea of the cork with the heat shrink tubing over it.

[Chris In Milwaukee]

How wide is the steel banding used with a majority of shipping crates I've seen?

[jim.mclaughlin924]

I used stainless for the straps and spot welded the loops instead of rivets.

[svyolo]

I liked the galvanized idea.

[rodsmith]

For chafing material I used 1/16th inch cork strip. It comes in rolls with a sticky backing so very easy to apply, Just look on amazon.

[OhioLSA]

Hey Nic,

Since you're in the Dayton area, you might want to talk to Miami Valley Gasket on E Third Street. They have all sorts of rubber which they can cut into strips of any width. I got nitrile (fuel resistant) strips and glued them onto my tank straps with contact cement. Pretty inexpensive, too.

Tom

[nichzimmerman]

Thanks Tom, I'm always amazed at the cool mom and pop shops in Dayton. Say, we still need to get together sometime!

All, is cork material fuel proof? And time-proof? Seems like nitrile rubber is the more commonly used material. I like the idea of galvanized steel though.

[Bcone1381]

I had corrosion on fuel tanks (C-140) under the straps once upon a time....so, "does cork hold moisture" would be my next question. I like BTAZ's idea of covering it with shrink wrap!

[jaredyates]

I would bet it depends on what it is bound with. The cork itself seems suited to fuel tank floats, but the strips are a composite with rubber or something similar.

[rodsmith]

I would bet it depends on what it is bound with. The cork itself seems suited to fuel tank floats, but the strips are a composite with rubber or something similar.

Yes the strips are a rubberized cork material that wont absorb moisture, my Maule used something similar.

[svyolo]

I was making up fuel tank straps and noticed that there were two different grades of material. Both .75", but one was .024 and fairly malleable and the other was .027 and much stiffer. Is the more malleable strap to make it easier to make the tensioner ends?

[Mark Goldberg]

Hi John. You probably got two different materials because we were running out of one material and starting to use the next batch ordered. Either one is fine to be used on the tops or bottoms - or for the tensioner pieces as well. No problem. Mark